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Across the nation and in Ohio, those on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19, health care workers in particular, have sounded the alarm in what poses one of the greatest threats to our country’s success in combating the virus: the severe shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Those whose heroic roles bring them in direct contact with the virus put their health and lives at risk and cannot be expected to do so without at least access to necessary protective gear to keep them as safe as possible. The alarm that has yet to be sound, however, is that of the broken supply chains which are currently handicapping the manufacturers already equipped to turn out PPE at scale.

As the president of Queen City Polymers, a family-owned plastics manufacturing and fabrication company, I see the impact of these issues first hand. If coordinated appropriately, we, and Ohio-based manufacturers like us, have the capacity and the equipment needed to make a significant impact in solving the PPE shortage crisis.

The catch? We can’t get the materials needed for this production.

A week ago, materials were scarce. Today, no materials can be found on the market at all. Instead, they sit primarily in the garages and small-shop operations of those whose valiant efforts to contribute resulted in a mass buyout of PPE materials. We know this because these low-capacity operations have been reaching out to us looking for additional material to continue their PPE production.

While we applaud anyone’s effort to contribute in this fight, the materials needed to produce life-saving protective equipment are now largely in the hands of those who are unable to turn these goods out at scale. Meanwhile, those of us who can produce thousands of PPE products in a single hour are hamstrung. What’s more, our inability to contribute to the demand for PPE in this current economic climate means we can’t afford to keep our workers employed.

Jim Mattsen unloads personal protective equipment donated to the state of Oregon by the Oregon Dental Association at the Department of Corrections in Salem, on March 24, 2020.(Photo: MADELEINE COOK / STATESMAN JOURNAL, Statesman Journal)

If Ohio wants to ensure that those on our frontlines are protected as they directly engage this virus, we must start with central coordination of supply chains by connecting suppliers of materials, manufacturers capable of producing PPE at scale, and those in need of PPE. Central coordination of supply chains will also keep our Ohio manufacture workers employed and bring back the jobs of those who have already been laid off because of the economic impact of our state’s necessary, but stringent shutdown measures.

Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown already made the call at the federal level and Gov. Mike DeWine should take these recommendations and apply them at home. In particular, he must:

Designate a central coordinator for the acquisition and development of PPE;

Fund production efforts upfront;

Lower barriers to contract and certification procedures.

DeWine should take Brown’s recommendations a step further and recall materials needed for PPE so they can be redistributed to manufacturers who can produce them at scale. In doing so, DeWine can continue his trajectory as the leader we all need: one who saves both Ohio jobs and American lives.

Jim Powers, Sr. is founder and president of Queen City Polymers Inc., an Ohio leader in custom plastics machining and fabrication since 1981.

Jim Powers, Sr., is president and founder of Queen City Polymers.(Photo: Provided)